Electric switch



March 2 1926. Q 1,575,076

I A. PAGE auacraxc swucu Filed May 26, p25

Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

PATENT 'OFFICE.

ALFRED PAGE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed May 26,1925. Serial at. 32,869.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ALFRED PAGE, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at 74 Kensington Gardens Square, London,

W. 2., in the county of Middlesex, England,

have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Electric Switches, of which the following isa specification. I g

The present invention relates to electric switches and especially to those intended for the control of circuits carrying a relatively small current such for example as incandescent lamp lighting circuits. It is furthermore particularly concerned with that type of switch in which a contacting member is operatedby an actuating member through the medium of a star-wheel or the like with or without a ratchet and'pawl device. In switches of this type it hasbeen proposed to effect the required motion of the contact member inone direction, either to open or close it, by means of a corresponding movement of the actuating member, part of the motion in the other direction being produced by the actuating member and the remainder by automatic means, such as a spring contained within the switch itself. In such a switch the completeness of the first mentioned motion is dependent on that of the movement given to the actuating member, and shouldthis not be fully performed imperfect opening or closure may 3 result and it is the object of the present in vention to avoid the possibility of this occurrence.

According to this invention the making and breaking of the circuit is effected by the positive action of the star-wheel teeth on the contacting member, and the first part. only of each movement of the star-wheel is produced by the actuating member, the motion at the points of make and break being automatic.

In order that the invention may be thoroughly understood and readily carried into effect it will be described in its application to the switch illustrated in the ac companying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the switch,

Figure 2 is a section on line a-a looking in the direction of the arrows 2,

comprisesa star-wheel A the teeth of which are adapted on rotation to engage a'roller B carried by the movable element C of the switch to move said element into the circuit closing position. This movable element- C comprises a forked pivoted switch arm adapted on movement in one direction to close the circuit through two fixed contacts D, and the roller 13 may be mounted on the said arm 0 and insulated therefrom or it may be formed of hardwearing insulating material. The switch comprises also a second star-wheel E coaxial with and rigidly connected with the star-wheel A and having double the number of teeth, this wheel being engaged by two rollers F, mounted in levers G pivoted at H and connected by a spring J tending to force the rollers into the depressions between the teeth. Operating means are provided to effect rotation of the starwheels, and the arrangement is such that on rotation through an angular distance corresponding with one tooth of the star-wheel E a tooth of the star-wheel A will engage opposite the roller 13 and the latter will drop into it on account of the engagement of another tooth on the star-wheel A with a second roller L carried on the pivoted switch arm G and located on the other side of the pivot point to that on which the roller B is located; this action may be assisted by a spring K, but the actual breaking of the circuit is due to pressure of the wheel A on the roller L. On movement oi. the roller B into the space between two teeth of the star-wheel A the switch is fully opened.

The operating means may comprise for example a turnbutton rigidly connected with a spindle M to which the star-wheels A and E are also rigidly attached. In the con-- struction shown, however, a rocking lever N is pivoted on the spindle M and is provided with a pawl O engaging a ratchet wheel P rigidly connected with the starwheels A and E. The movement of the lever N is limited by stops Q, engaging the stem of an actuating knob R so that on each operation thereof between these stops the ratchet wheel P will be moved through an angular distance corresponding with one tooth of the star-wheel E. A spring S returns the rocking lever N to its initial position after operation, the pawl O riding over the teeth of the ratchet wheel P during this movement.

In order that the switch may be operated at a distance and if desired from more than one point levers T and U are pivoted at V and bear on the underside of a projection W on the lever N. The levers T and U are fitted with cords, wires, chains or the like X by means of which the switch may be operated from a distance, the levers T and U being respectively returned to their initial positions by springs Y and Z. If desired a weight may be attached to either of the cords or the like X so as normally to extend the spring Y or Z, the arrangement being such that, on the weight being lifted by hand, the spring is at liberty to contract and actuate the switch.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An electric switch comprising in combination fixed contacts, a contacting mem ber, an actuating member, an intermediate member separate from said contacting member and said actuating member, said intermediate member being operated upon by said actuating member and adapted to move said contacting member over the first part of its movements required for both engagement with and disengagement from said contacts and automatic means whereby said contacting member is moved independently of said actuating member over the position at which electrical connection between said contacts and said contacting member is actually made or broken.

2. An electric switch comprising in combination fixed contacts, a contacting member, a star wheel adapted by rotation to cooperate with said contacting member to effect its engagement with or disengagement from said contacts, means for manually operating said star-wheel to rotate it over the first part of its rotary motion required for both engagement and disengagement of said contacting m'ember'and said contacts and means for automatically completing the motion of said star-wheel over the position at which electrical connection between said contacts and said contacting member is actually made or broken.

3. An electric switch comprising in combination fixed contacts, a contacting member, a star-wheel adapted by rotation to eooperate with said contacting member to effeet its engagement with or disengagement from said contacts, a spindle for said starwheel, a ratchet wheel rigid on said spindle, an actuating member, a pawl on said actuating member, said pawl adapted to rotate said ratchet wheel and said star-wheel over the first part of the rotary motion required for both engagement and disengagement of said contacting member and said contacts and means for automatically completing the motion of said star-wheel over the position at which electrical connection between said contacts and said contacting member is actually made or broken.

al. An electric switch comprising in combination fixed contacts, a contacting member, a star-wheel adapted by rotation to co-operate with said contacting member to eii eet its engagement with or disengagment from said contacts, means for manually operating said star-wheel to rotate it over the first part of its rotary motion required for both engagement and disengagement of said contacting member and said contacts, a spindle for said star-wheel, a second star-wheel rigid on said spindle and having. twice the number of teeth of said first-mentioned starwheel, members bearing on said second-mentioned star-wheel and means for resiliently pressing said last-mentioned members into the spaces between the teeth on said secondmentioned star-wheel.

5. An electric switch comprising in combination fixed contacts, a contacting member, a star-wheel adapted by rotation to co-' operate with said contacting member to er feet its engagement with or disengagement from said contacts, means for manually operating said star-wheel to rotate it over the first part of its rotary motion required for both engagement and disengagement of said contacting member and said contacts, a spindle for said star-wheel, a second starwheel rigid on said spindle and having twice the number of teeth of said first-mentioned star-wheel, levers pivoted in proximity to said second-mentioned star-wheel, a spring attached to each of said levers, and a roller carried by each of said levers, said rollers bearing on the teeth of said second-men tioned star-wheel.

6. An electric switch comprising in combination fixed contacts, a contacting mem ber, a pivot for said contacting member, bearing members on said contacting member on opposite sides of said pivot, a star-wheel pivoted in proximity to said contacting member, said star-wheel co-operating with said bearing members to produce the first part of the motions necessary respectively for engagement and disengagement of said contacting member and said contacts, and means for intermittently rotating said starwheel.

7. An electric switch comprising in coinbination fixed contacts, a contacting membei the motions necessary respectively for ena pivot for said contacting member, bearing gagement and disengagement of said conmembers on said contacting member on optacting member and said contacts, a spring 10 posite sides of said pivot, a star-wheel pivbearing on said contacting member and op- 5 oted in proximity to said contacting memposing said engagement and means for her, said star-Wheel co-operating with said intermittently rotating said star-wheel. bearing members to produce the first part of ALFRED PAGE. 

